EY ES NEWS

Infant Literacy
Written by Ms. Ruby

Introducing colours to infants is an important part of their early development. It provides them with a range of benefits, from cognitive development to social and emotional development, and can help set the stage for a lifetime of learning and growth.

We are excited to share with you the latest updates from our Infant Class! Over the past few weeks, our little ones have been learning about different colours, and also exploring the roles of mom and dad in their lives.

Everyone engaged in sensory play by exploring the different items that mom and dad use. For dads, we used neckties, hats, and caps. While for moms, we used bags, make-up, and hair rollers. The babies enjoyed feeling the textures of each item and discovering their different colours. Through this activity, our little ones were not only able to learn about the different items that their parents use but also about the different colours that they come in. We believe that it is essential for infants to start developing their sensory skills at this age, and this activity proved to be the perfect way to do that. In addition, we also introduced the concept of "Mama" and "Papa". We encouraged them to repeat the words after us, and they were able to identify their parents and the role they play in their lives. Overall, we believe that these activities have helped our little ones to not only learn about colours, but also about the important roles that their parents play in their lives. We hope that you will continue to support us as we strive to provide the best learning experience for your babies. 

Nursery Field Trip
Written by Ms. Ann

Field trips can spark a child's curiosity and interest in a subject, leading to further exploration and discovery. It allows kids to interact with others outside of their usual peer group, which can help them develop social skills and build relationships.

On the 31st of March 2023, Nursery students had an unforgettable experience as they went on a field trip to Ranch Market at The Breeze. This was the first time they had the opportunity to explore the real world with their classmates, and they were able to learn about healthy and unhealthy food, how goods are arranged, and experience purchasing these items. The class was transported by bus to the venue, which added to the excitement of the trip. The children actively engaged with the material, gaining a deeper understanding of the topic in a fun and exciting way. The tour of the market was led by the staff, and the children were thrilled to see and learn about different kinds of food. The reactions and interactions of the children were priceless, as they pointed to different items and expressed their knowledge about what is healthy and what is not. They even asked the store staff to weigh the fruit and bring it to the counter, demonstrating their newly acquired life skills. This field trip was a valuable experiential learning opportunity for the students.

PreK Chinese Language
Written by Ms. Biqin

     这学期，Pre-K幼儿的学习主题是与大自然相关的内容。孩子们学习关于花、草、树、下雨等内容，并通过各种方式来提高中文水平和锻炼眼手协调能力。

   在课堂上，孩子们将会通过手工活动来学习树木的生长形态和特点，例如描出手部轮廓做大树的树干，捡绿色的纸作为树叶等，同时也锻炼了他们的手部协调能力和观察力。

   此外，在课外活动中，我们还组织孩子们在花园中寻找不同颜色的花，数一数有多少棵大树，让孩子们更深入地了解大自然的美妙之处。

   我们相信，通过这些富有创意和趣味性的学习方式，孩子们将会更加热爱大自然，培养他们的观察力和创造力，同时也提高中文水平。

This term, Pre-K children are learning about topics related to nature. They are studying about flowers, grass, trees, rain, and other related subjects to improve their Chinese language skills and enhance their hand-eye coordination.

In class, the children engage in hands-on activities to learn about the growth, form, and characteristics of trees. They draw the outline of a tree trunk using their hands, and use green paper to create tree leaves, while also develop their manual dexterity and observation skills.

In addition, we also organise activities both inside and outside of the classroom to encourage children to search for flowers of different colours and count the number of trees in the garden, allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the beauty of nature.

We believe that through these creative and enjoyable learning methods, children develop a greater love for nature, enhance their observation and creativity skills, and also improve their proficiency in Chinese.

K1 Indonesian Language
Written by Ms. Yuyun

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off! The Kindergarten 1 students love learning about the solar system. Travelling through space took us on a journey we will remember for a long time in this fun solar system activity.

We went through different concepts to help the K1s understand the planets by making “Our Universe” art. They painted and cut their own planets, then arranged them in proper order. This activity made them recognise unique characteristics of the planets such as size, distance to Earth, and other unique features like rings.

The K1 students not only learnt the proper order of the planets but also how to spell each planet’s name through the classwork sheet. You are out of this world, K1s! 

K2 ICT
Written by Ms. Diane

In today’s digital age, it is essential to equip children with the necessary skills to thrive in a technology-driven world. This is why ICT has become an integral part of the curriculum, even in Kindergarten. 

Kindergarten 2 students are introduced to basic computer skills, such as using software like Google Slides. Last term, they learned how to navigate this platform and create simple presentations with texts, images, and even basic animations. This allowed them to develop their creativity and literacy skills. 

This term, they will take on a new challenge: coding using code.org. This online platform is specifically designed for young learners, and it introduces them to the basics of computer programming. Through coding, children can develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills while fostering their creativity and imagination. Witnessing the kids solve challenging puzzles is a sight to behold! We can’t wait to see more of their coding skills in Term 4. 

Junior Stuco Fundraising Project for Ramadan
Written by Junior Stuco: Grace, Aradhya, Yusra, Claire

For Ramadan, Jr. Stuco wanted to give all our amazing cleaning and security staff a little gift for doing such a good job keeping Koi clean and keeping all of us safe. Because giving is a magical moment between two people – it makes both the giver and the receiver feel special  –  Jr Stuco felt like doing something special for the eventful month of Ramadan.

The gifts contained a Jr. Stuco badge, a towel, a comb, and some cutleries! All the gifts were hand wrapped by Jr. Stuco and a few other students who were eager to volunteer, too.  In order to get funds we planned a whole event for MOVIE DAY. Yay! We sold delicious caramel popcorn and displayed 2 movies: Puss’n Boots and Yes Day. Together we made Rp 2,000,000 for funds! Thank you teachers, staff, parents, and students for supporting Jr. Stuco’s Ramadan Movie Day!

ES Easter Day

Helping students appreciate different celebrations is a form of inclusion and SWA ensures that traditions and events are shared throughout the year. See how much fun the ES students had in the quick egg hunt activity in Koi Building last April 10th.

SWA Micro:bits Club Update
Written by Mr. Ciaran

The students in the SWA Micro:bits club developed a major project at the end of term 3: the Micro:bit plant watering system. In earlier sessions, the student learnt about how to use and program a water level detector and a moisture sensor.

They then combined the two sensors together to create a plant-waterer. When the moisture sensor is placed in the soil, it detects if watering is needed. A signal is then sent to activate the relay, which turns on the water pump, which then starts pumping water into the soil using the tubes. The students did an excellent job constructing the device, which they then tested on the newly installed plant at the entrance to the Design building.

Well done to Darrell from grade 5, who was the first student to successfully complete the task- a video of his successful project can be seen below. 

Grade 1 Field Trip

Written by Ms. Junita

Come up and be a kite. On a diamond flight! - Kate Bush

The Grade 1 field trip this term provided a valuable educational experience for the students who visited Museum Layang-Layang and learned about kites. Without doubt, the field trip broadened their minds as they were introduced to the history and cultural significance of kites in different provinces and countries. The children also discovered the wide variety of kite shapes, sizes, and materials, from the smallest Chinese kite at 2cm to the Megaray, as big as a building at 9m x 26m. Additionally, the field trip exposed the students to the diverse uses of kites, such as for fishing tuna in Southeast Sulawesi. 

Not only did they learn about kites, but also painted their own kites and brought them as souvenirs. Everyone was excited to fly their kites high into the sky.  Overall, the field trip helped the Grade 1 students develop their knowledge and understanding of different cultures and inspired a love for learning.

Students rode through a jungle safari, experimented with force and motion, bumped into each other’s vehicles, and developed team building skills. This playground also has several interesting educational rides, such as the Planetarium, Physics Room, and Insectarium, where students were able to feel the sensation of exploring the African inland garden.

Grade 3 Mathematics

Written by Ms. Olive

In Grade 3 Math class, students were excited to learn about measurements and fractions using hands-on materials. 

During the measurement activity, students used metre sticks and tape measures to measure the length of objects in the classroom. They also used weighing scales to determine the mass of objects and cylinders to measure the volume of liquids. These hands-on materials made learning the concepts more enjoyable and helped the students realise the importance of measurements in our daily lives.

The class also learnt about fractions using pizza fractions. The pizza fraction enabled the students to understand equivalent fractions, how to simplify fractions, and how to add and subtract fractions. 

The hands-on materials used in the classroom played a significant role in the students' learning and made it a fun experience and easier for them to understand the concepts of math. Overall, the Grade 3 students demonstrated their eagerness to learn and their ability to apply the knowledge gained in real-life situations.

Grade 4 students have been hard at work developing their analytical skills through research and activities. Here are some examples of a weekly assignment for the students. These are rebus puzzles which require students to use their prior knowledge, analytical thinking to break the puzzle down into its different details like color, size, number, direction, word meaning, idioms, etc.

Students also researched the different techniques to create suspense fiction that they will apply in Term 4. Here are some ideas they came up with: raise the stakes, ellipsis, cliff hangers, time transition words like “suddenly” and rhetorical questions.

Grade 5 ICT
Written by Mr. Ciaran

The students in grade 5 have recently been creating their own virtual environments using CoSpaces. The students first construct an environment in design mode, creating and importing various objects, before moving to ‘play mode’ where they can explore their environments from a first-person perspective. 

The students have been learning specific skills each lesson, such as how to edit videos and voices, how to import video and audio, and how to program objects to move when clicked, and sprites to follow fixed paths.

The students will be required to demonstrate the skills they have acquired by completing two major challenges: to create their own supervillain lair, and to collaboratively construct their own explorable version of Koi.

Images of some of the more impressive virtual environments can be seen below.